Coffee Cups
by JillyMcBop
Summary: Sam isn't acting her usual self after coming back from visiting her sick father, and Bud decides to get to the bottom of it. Cameo by Peter. Oneshot. Bud/Sam friendship.


Three days had gone by since Sam had returned from visiting her sick father. Bud felt he had reason to think that something had transpired during Sam's visit that still weighed heavily on her mind. She just hadn't been herself since she came back. For starters, she normally took an interest in Jeannie's well-being, but when Bud had mentioned her or the baby the only response he received from Sam was some kind of detached remark. She avoided any unneeded conversations with him and everyone else in the department. Bud had asked her how the visit went, but she merely replied with a brief "It was fine." Bud raised an eyebrow skeptically, but kept quiet.

Peter had stopped in at the station to collect some records for a case he was working on. He made it a point to stop by and say hello. Sam didn't appear to even notice him. She seemed lost in thought, staring at a closed lap-top on her desk for a few minutes before acknowledging Peter's greeting.

"How's your dad?" asked Peter, with a tinge of friendly concern in his voice.

"He's okay," Sam replied tersely.

Peter nodded.

"Well, I gotta run these back to Megan. Good to see you back."

"Thanks."

Bud was across the room filing some documents. He and Peter exchanged a brief glance, during which the question was asked and answered: "Is something wrong with Sam?" Bud's hand gestures and facial expression gave the reply of "No idea." Peter gave a thoughtful look back toward Sam, who had begun to sift through some miscellaneous case files at her desk. Then he turned and left for the ME's office.

Bud's suspicions deepened when he saw the two untouched cups of coffee on Sam's desk; one from earlier that day, and one from the day before. That was odd. Sam never usually left a coffee cup full longer than the time it took to cool off. Bud concluded that he'd better just leave things be for now. Sometimes women were just… moody. Could be anything… probably none of his business.

But after three days of observing this behavior, Bud decided that he would investigate by asking if something was bothering her. He remembered the time when she had told him about her brother who had been killed, right around the corner from where they were sitting in the cruiser. He'd been shot by a drive-by gunner. The killer was caught, but Sam told him that she'd never learned the reason why he killed her brother. Bud realized that he didn't actually know much about Sam's personal life beyond that. Sam was the type who usually kept things to herself. But something was definitely amiss, and it bothered him to see his typically energetic partner look so depressed. He had to get the bottom of it this.

After their lunch break was over, Bud asked Sam if she wanted to go with him to the next town's police station to collect some pertinent files for a case he was finishing up.

"Sure," she said with an apathetic shrug. Bud sighed.

"Okay, let's go."

It was a fifteen-minute drive to the station. Bud was glad that Sam had agreed to come, even though it wasn't all that necessary. That was a good sign; maybe she would open up. There was nothing for it. He just had to be direct.

"Talk to me, Sam."

"About what?"

"You."

Sam sighed, leaned back in her seat and stared at the glove box. There was silence for about half a minute before she spoke.

"My dad's got this inoperable tumor in his brain. Last couple of months it's been getting closer to his brain stem, and the doctors say that the next time it grows it could be fatal. Could be any time." Bud's face was the picture of genuine sympathy. He glanced over at Sam, who was now staring down the car floor, with a subdued expression of sorrow.

"He's eighty… says he's ready to go. I believe it. He's been lonely, you know, since Leo died, and Mom died… he's had a rough go of it."

The detective seemed lost in memories for a minute before she spoke again.

"We grew tighter as a family after Leo got shot… I guess Dad was kinda afraid he'd lose me, too. I think I made him and Mom proud, though. Things weren't always easy between him and me; maybe it's 'cause we were kind of alike. But it's different now. I know that sometimes you just have to put the past behind you… you get over it, but you don't forget it." She gave a rueful sigh.

"I just don't want him to be alone. I was a teen when Leo was killed. Just trying to figure life out. I got mad at Dad for not being around more when I was younger… thought that maybe if he was then Leo would've somehow been okay. But that passed, and I turned back toward my parents. Dad had really started to care about me after I got a bad case of meningitis. It's almost like he didn't realize I existed until then. But I don't wanna beat a long-dead horse, you know what I mean? I just want to be there for him. I want him to know that I really do care." Bud nodded.

"I know what you mean. I clashed with my Dad, too, but I have more respect for him now than I ever have."

A brief period of silence was broken by a loud truck braking next to them at the red light.

"I'm sorry to hear that… about your Dad. If there's anything I can do, Jeannie and I will always be around." Sam nodded gratefully.

"Thanks. Oh, by the way, how is Jeannie doing?" Bud smiled.

"She's doing good. Hey, do you want to stop for coffee before we get to the station?"

Sam chuckled.

"Sure thing, partner."

The End

[_Any thought or criticisms? This is my first time writing Sam and Bud. Thanks for reading.]_


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